Mailbox key-actuated connector



M v 4 m W F m m O 1 w. I 49% M 7 4 r o 2 5 9 SM N @m o w m r 3, 2 s RA Z 3 M LW H I? 4 4L 1 5. Z 4 2 M; v 53 B 8 F J RUSSELL ETAL MAILBOX KEY-ACTUATED CONNECTOR Filed A ril 11, 1966 Jan. 2, 1968 United States Patent Office 3,360,971 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 3,360,971 MAILBOX KEY-ACTUATED CONNECTOR Fred J. Russell, 8635 Otis St, South Gate, Calif. 90280,

and Richard L. Armstrong, Santa Fe Springs, and

Harold W. Falk, Inglewood, Calif.; said Armstrong and said Falk assignors to said Russell Filed Apr. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 541,762 3 Claims. (Cl. 70370) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A removable key-actuated mechanism mounted in various sized containers which is engageable with a connector which operates a sliding latch bolt, with the mounting of the key-actuated mechanism and the connector consisting of relatively few operating parts so the key-actuated mechanism may be easily replaced.

The invention relates in general to locking devices, the device here disclosed in detail being one especially useful for small containers exemplified by mailboxes of the type used in apartment dwellings.

It is helpful in appreciating the advantages of the invention to understand that mailboxes of the type used in apartment dwellings are customarily installed in groups. They usually are sheet metal mailboxes, with compartments arranged side-by-side, numbering from three to four, and in some instances to as many as several hundred. The locking devices for such mailboxes must be small, compact, inexpensive, and rugged, and also capable of being readily rekeyed, should the temporary owner leave in possession of the key.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved removable key-actuated mechanism for a container of the nature of a mailbox which can be easily installed and easily replaced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved removable key-actuated mechanism of a substantially well known rotating type which is so arranged that it can throw a transverse reciprocating latch bolt.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple, rugged mounting for a removable key-actuated mechanism capable of throwing a transverse reciprocating latch bolt, the mechanism being one possessed of relatively few operating parts to make possible relatively inexpensive manufacture and assembly.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved key-actuated mounting for a mailbox door which is positive acting and which is so arranged with relation to its sundry moving parts that there is ample throw for a reciprocating latch bolt, even though the ro tating portions of the key-actuated mechanism are kept relatively small in size.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of the construction, arrangement, and combination of various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a typical mailbox showing the key-actuated mechanism installed therein;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the mailbox at the location of the key-actuated mechanism with portions broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the relative position of parts when the door is unlocked;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational View taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the key-actuated mechanism taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 6, but showing the removable portion of the mechanism rotated to a position wherein it can be removed; and

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal sectional view partially broken away, showing the interconnection of the keyactuated mechanism with the transverse reciprocating latch bolt, taken on line 88 of FIGURE 1.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, there is shown a structural front 10 in which is installed a frame 11 having an aperture 12 for access to a substantially conventional mail compartment. A door 13 is hung on hinges 14 and 15 to swing in a horizontal direction from an open position to a position in engagement with edges of the frame 11, overlying the aperture 12.

An opening 16 in the door 13 accommodates a keyactuated mechanism, indicated generally by the reference character 17. A collar 18 on the exterior of the key-actuated mechanism 17 bears against the exterior of the door 13 and is drawn into engagement with the door 13 by screws 19, the heads of which engage a plate 20 of a bracket 21. Threaded portions of the screws 19 engage a shank 22 of the collar 18 and the screws 19 draw the bracket 21 against a washer 23 which bears against the inside face of the door 13.

Following substantially conventional and well known practice, the key-actuated mechanism 17 is provided with a removable core 25. The removable core 25 includes a rotating key plug 26 provided with an extendible and retractable gate 27 which is so arranged that when extended it lies behind a shoulder 28 of the shank 22, thereby to anchor the removable core 25 within the shank 22, as shown in FIGURE 6. The gate 27 can be Withdrawn, by employment of a special key (not shown), to the position of FIGURE 7, permitting the removable core 25 to be removed to make ready for replacement. A conventional key 29 is employed in the usual fashion to lock and unlock the key-actuated mechanism 17.

A transverse reciprocating latch bolt 30 is reciprocatably mounted on the rear side of the door 13, by means of a bracket 31 at one end and by means of a cylinder 32 at the other end. A chamber 33 in the cylinder 32 reciprocatably receives the adjacent end of the latch bolt 30 which moves against the resistance of a coiled spring 35. In this way, the latch bolt 30 is normally extended in a direction from left to right, as viewed in FIGURE 2, to a locked position behind a side element 34 of the frame 11.

To reciprocate the latch bolt 30 by action of the keyactuated mechanism 17, there is provided a connector 37. The connector 37 is rotatably mounted in the plate 20 of the bracket 21. Extending forwardly from the connector 37 are a pair of pins 38 and 39 which are slid ably received in appropriate matching holes 40 and 41 in the key plug 26. In this way, the connector 37 is nonrotatably connected to the key plug 26 and hence rotates when rotated by the key plug 26.

To enable the connector 37 to reciprocate the latch bolt 30, there is provided an arm 42 extending forwardly from an upper edge of the connector 37, as shown to good advantage in FIGURE 8. A flange 43 on the arm 42 passes beneath the latch bolt 30. In the latch bolt 30 is a notch 44 within which the flange 43 is positioned, the notch 44 being relatively wide to permit a customary amount of lost motion between the key plug 26 and connector 37 and the latch bolt 30.

The connector 37 may be further provided with oblique faces 45 and 46 which are adapted respectively to move into engagement with one side or the other of the bracket 21 at the limit of rotational motion. This makes possible the full throw of the latch bolt 30 in a reciprocating di- 3 rection, but does not permit the flange 43 to be moved out of its position within the notch 44, and hence limits the amount of rotation of the key plug 26.

In operation, let it be assumed that the door 13 is swung to open position. In this position, the latch bolt 30 will be extended by operation of the coiled spring 35 to a position limited by engagement of the oblique face 46 of the connector 37 with the adjacent side of the bracket 21, as shown in FIGURE 2. Because of this arrangement, the latch bolt 30 cannot be pulled free of its position and can move out only a limited distance. A bevel 47 on the latch bolt 30 operates to engage the edge of the side element 34 of the frame 11 when the door 13 is swung to closed position, thereby to cam the latch bolt 30 inwardly against tension of the coil spring 35. This permits the latch bolt 30 to be retracted far enough past the edge of the side element 34 until the door 13 is fully closed, whereupon the coiled spring 35 then acts to extend the latch bolt 30 to its locked location behind the side element 34. In this arrangement, by use of the conventional key 29, the key plug 26 can be rotated, in turn rotating the connector 37, in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 3. Rotation, as described, moves the fiange 43 against the adjacent edge of the notch 44, thereby reciprocating the latch bolt 30 from right to left, as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 3, against tension of the coiled spring 35 until the bevel 47 is clear of the side element 34 whereupon the door 13 can be pulled open, by use of the conventional key 29. The conventional key 29 will stay in the key-actuated mechanism 17 as long as it is kept in a rotated position. To remove the conventional key 29, the conventional key 29 is merely rotated in reverse direction to its original position as is conventional, whereupon it can be withdrawn from the key-actuated mechanism 17.

It will be clear from the foregoing description that if there arises any need to replace either the key-actuated mechanism 17 or any or all of its related parts, it is necessary only to disengage the screws 19 thereby making it possible to entirely remove the bracket 21 and also to remove the key-actuated mechanism 17. Once this has been done, the latch bolt 30 can also be removed if need be. The parts removed can be replaced with other parts by merely reversing the procedure in an obvious fashion.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A frame member, a door member hingedly mounted on the frame member, one of said members having an opening therethrough, a support bracket having a removable nonrotatable mounting on the inside of said one member adjacent said opening, a connector having a rotatable mounting on said support bracket, a removable keyactuated mechanism mounted on said one member in said opening, said key-actuated mechanism including a key plug having a rotatable mounting in alignment with said connector, a nonrotatable connection between said key plug and said connector, a latch bolt having a slidable mounting on said one member, said latch bolt having an extended position in locked condition with respect to the other of said members and a retracted position when in unlocked condition, a portion of said connector having a movable engagement with said latch bolt, whereby to enable axial movement of said latch bolt by rotation of said plug.

2. A frame, a door having an outside face and an inside face hingedly mounted on the frame, said door having an opening therethrough, a support bracket having a removable nonrotatable mounting on the inside of the door adjacent said opening, a connector having a rotatable mounting on said bracket, a removable key-actuated mechanism mounted on said door in said opening, said key-actuated mechanism including a key plug having a rotatable mounting in alignment with said connector, nonrotatable con nection between said key plug and said connector, a latch bolt having a slidable mounting on said door, said latch bolt having an extended position in locked condition and a retracted position when in unlocked condition, a portion of said connector having a movable engagement with said latch bolt, whereby to enable axial movement of said latch bolt by rotation of said plug.

3. A frame, a door having an outside face and an inside face hingedly mounted on the frame, said door having an opening therethrough, a support bracket having a removable nonrotatable mounting on the inside face of the door adjacent said opening, a connector element having a rotatable mounting on said support bracket, a removable keyactuated mechanism mounted on said door in said opening, said key-actuated mechanism including a key plug element having a rotatable mounting in axial alignment with said connector element, a removable axially slidable engagement means between said key plug element and said connector element, said engagement means including eccentrically located pin means on one of said elements and aperture means on the other of said elements, a latch both having a slidable mounting on the inside face of said door, said latch bolt having an extended position in engagement with the frame in locked condition and a retracted position when in unlocked condition, a portion of said connector element having a movable engagement with said latch bolt, whereby to enable movement of said latch bolt to retracted position by rotation of said key plug element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,543,314 6/1925 Best -370 1,546,626 7/1925 Crouch 70-370 1,549,603 8/1925 Murmann 70-370 1,629,270 5/ 1927 Hammer 70-451 2,707,385 5/1955 Fisler 70-371 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. E. J. MCCARTHY, Examiner. 

